uneven ride height in the rear: what's wrong with my car!!?? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

r-b-x · 06-25-2009, 10:33 AM

so my ride heights on the rear are uneven. they're off by an inch from side to side and haven't been able to determine why. used to think it was because my driveway was uneven. jacked up the car and measured coilover lengths and found them to be the same! even so, while it was up, i noticed the lower control arms' angles were different. 1 side was definitely higher than the other. i have 2 guesses: chassis is tweaked or axles being offset. axles being offset because the diff is asymmetrical and the axles are of different lengths. if so, i don't know when that happened... does anybody have other guesses at why my car's like this?

i already figured how i'm going to fix it: raising the lower side up. raise because the other side is maxed out and i can't lower adjust the lower bracket any more. don't really feel like adjusting the preload.

orion::S14 · 06-25-2009, 11:24 AM

Different springs? What coilovers?

Check the rates, they are typically listed on the spring.

- Brian

ClarkBlaze · 06-25-2009, 11:28 AM

hes rite, the spring ratio could be different

karl wasabi · 06-25-2009, 11:32 AM

It could be that your preload in the rear is set differently. The right side has more preload than the left side.

It could also be that your front coilovers are way off. Maybe your front right coilover is a lot higher than your front left causing your whole car to lean to the left. The coilovers should be close to the same height side to side. Check both of those things.

aznpoopy · 06-25-2009, 11:33 AM

just because the coilover heights are set the same does not mean the car will be even.

no car is weighted symmetrically right/left (or on all four corners). if it was, there'd be no reason for any car to be corner weighed.

in other words, adjust coilover height independently at each corner until the car sits the way you want it to. don't worry about keeping coilover height even, as that is meaningless anyway. i would only worry about keeping preload/droop even.

superJoy · 06-25-2009, 01:35 PM

My car does this too, it's a little over 1 cm higher on the passenger side rear if the coils are adjusted to the same length

I think it's pretty common on S13, have heard about it before at least. It also makes the wheel fitment look off, since one side is higher.

The fix: lower that side whatever amount you think your car is off, and don't worry about it

jdm_vert · 06-25-2009, 01:40 PM

its the gas tank -_- fill it up and it should level out

r-b-x · 06-25-2009, 08:46 PM

it could be weight. but even when the car is jacked up, the angles of the lower control arms are different. the right side, the higher side, has the arm hanging lower. given that, it makes sense for that side to be higher. what i don't get is why that is...

goddamn old cars

Souljahzs13 · 06-25-2009, 09:39 PM

You're not the only one with that problem, my whole passenger side is like that on maxed out coilovers.

smelly240 · 06-26-2009, 07:21 AM

most cars we put coilovers on are off a little side to side. as long as u preload the same - you should be good.

Z33dori · 06-26-2009, 07:24 AM

measure the car height

measure from the rocker panel corner in front of and behind the rear wheel, and then measure from the top of the fender to the ground.

ryguy · 06-26-2009, 08:32 AM

I had a broken sway bar end link that caused this, although it was in the front.

smelly240 · 06-26-2009, 11:35 AM

WTF - how did an endlink do that?

ryguy · 06-27-2009, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smelly240

WTF - how did an endlink do that?

One of the endlinks broke and the sway bar only acted on one side. I was on mushy ass stock suspension at the time so I guess maybe that mattered, but one side was honestly an inch and a half lower than the other. I thought the suspension had broken.

negrosx13 · 06-28-2009, 02:10 AM

its seriously only an s13 problem..funny thing my car sits the same side as well..lmao

g6civcx · 06-28-2009, 08:46 AM

It can be weight distribution, suspension alignment, or coilover settings.

Clean out your car, then have the alignment checked. Then you can adjust your coilovers.

Marc240 · 06-28-2009, 12:48 PM

Adjust the spring preload and you should be fine, then adjust the ride height again to were you preffer and it should even it out.

06-25-2009, 10:33 AM	#1
r-b-x Leaky Injector Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: vancouver Posts: 118 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	uneven ride height in the rear: what's wrong with my car!!?? so my ride heights on the rear are uneven. they're off by an inch from side to side and haven't been able to determine why. used to think it was because my driveway was uneven. jacked up the car and measured coilover lengths and found them to be the same! even so, while it was up, i noticed the lower control arms' angles were different. 1 side was definitely higher than the other. i have 2 guesses: chassis is tweaked or axles being offset. axles being offset because the diff is asymmetrical and the axles are of different lengths. if so, i don't know when that happened... does anybody have other guesses at why my car's like this? i already figured how i'm going to fix it: raising the lower side up. raise because the other side is maxed out and i can't lower adjust the lower bracket any more. don't really feel like adjusting the preload.

06-25-2009, 11:24 AM	#2
orion::S14 Nissanaholic! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Orange Park, FL Posts: 1,666 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Different springs? What coilovers? Check the rates, they are typically listed on the spring. - Brian __________________ www.KA24DEvelopment.com

06-25-2009, 11:32 AM	#4
karl wasabi Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Walnut/SoCal Posts: 3,898 Trader Rating: (41) Feedback Score: 41 reviews	It could be that your preload in the rear is set differently. The right side has more preload than the left side. It could also be that your front coilovers are way off. Maybe your front right coilover is a lot higher than your front left causing your whole car to lean to the left. The coilovers should be close to the same height side to side. Check both of those things. __________________ Karl Wasabi Private Seller - Review Thread

06-26-2009, 07:21 AM	#10
smelly240 Nissanaholic! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Philaburbia Age: 47 Posts: 2,137 Trader Rating: (4) Feedback Score: 4 reviews	most cars we put coilovers on are off a little side to side. as long as u preload the same - you should be good. __________________ HREs on a S13 - check, 6262 - check, Girlfriend.... - nope

06-26-2009, 07:24 AM	#11
Z33dori Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Riverview, FL Age: 36 Posts: 5,557 Trader Rating: (12) Feedback Score: 12 reviews	measure the car height measure from the rocker panel corner in front of and behind the rear wheel, and then measure from the top of the fender to the ground. __________________

06-25-2009, 11:28 AM	#3
ClarkBlaze Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Jose Posts: 2 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	hes rite, the spring ratio could be different

06-25-2009, 11:33 AM	#5
aznpoopy Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Jersey Age: 44 Posts: 5,013 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	just because the coilover heights are set the same does not mean the car will be even. no car is weighted symmetrically right/left (or on all four corners). if it was, there'd be no reason for any car to be corner weighed. in other words, adjust coilover height independently at each corner until the car sits the way you want it to. don't worry about keeping coilover height even, as that is meaningless anyway. i would only worry about keeping preload/droop even.

06-25-2009, 01:35 PM	#6
superJoy Leaky Injector Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 142 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	My car does this too, it's a little over 1 cm higher on the passenger side rear if the coils are adjusted to the same length I think it's pretty common on S13, have heard about it before at least. It also makes the wheel fitment look off, since one side is higher. The fix: lower that side whatever amount you think your car is off, and don't worry about it

06-25-2009, 01:40 PM	#7
jdm_vert Leaky Injector Join Date: May 2008 Location: Baldwin Park Posts: 80 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	its the gas tank -_- fill it up and it should level out

06-25-2009, 08:46 PM	#8
r-b-x Leaky Injector Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: vancouver Posts: 118 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	it could be weight. but even when the car is jacked up, the angles of the lower control arms are different. the right side, the higher side, has the arm hanging lower. given that, it makes sense for that side to be higher. what i don't get is why that is... goddamn old cars

06-25-2009, 09:39 PM	#9
Souljahzs13 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: five6deuce Posts: 960 Trader Rating: (66) Feedback Score: 66 reviews	You're not the only one with that problem, my whole passenger side is like that on maxed out coilovers.

06-26-2009, 08:32 AM	#12
ryguy Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago Suburbs Age: 36 Posts: 1,544 Trader Rating: (5) Feedback Score: 5 reviews	I had a broken sway bar end link that caused this, although it was in the front. __________________

06-26-2009, 11:35 AM	#13
smelly240 Nissanaholic! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Philaburbia Age: 47 Posts: 2,137 Trader Rating: (4) Feedback Score: 4 reviews	WTF - how did an endlink do that? __________________ HREs on a S13 - check, 6262 - check, Girlfriend.... - nope

06-28-2009, 02:10 AM	#15
negrosx13 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Houston,tx Posts: 948 Trader Rating: (14) Feedback Score: 14 reviews	its seriously only an s13 problem..funny thing my car sits the same side as well..lmao

06-28-2009, 08:46 AM	#16
g6civcx Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 5,764 Trader Rating: (5) Feedback Score: 5 reviews	It can be weight distribution, suspension alignment, or coilover settings. Clean out your car, then have the alignment checked. Then you can adjust your coilovers.

06-28-2009, 12:48 PM	#17
Marc240 Zilvia Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Washington Posts: 284 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Adjust the spring preload and you should be fine, then adjust the ride height again to were you preffer and it should even it out.